Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem: Awakening/Kakusei
Author's Note: Here we are again! Another chapter. It should be approximately the same length as the last one. (I usually go for 3000-4000 words a chapter but I don't think that's appropriate.) But what do you guys suggest? Should I do more words per chapter and less updates or less words and frequent updates? Oh, by the way, in FE: Awakening, there are certain maps you can play (Not DLC) that allows you to gain bonus characters (I.E Basilio and Flavia). Should I include those characters? Let me know. Anyway, enough me talking. Here's the stuff you came for.
Much love,
~SAYONARA~
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Inigo felt someone roughly shaking his shoulder as he lay in his cot, trying to go back to sleep. He tried pushed the hand away but the shaking still persisted. He pulled his blanket over his head, hoping that it'll dissuade whoever was shaking him. It didn't. Inigo groaned as he sat up and rubbed his eyes groggily.
"What the heck is going on?..." Inigo said aloud. The moment his blanket left his torso, he was embraced by the cool air of early morning. "Why so early..."
"Wake up." A stern voice commanded him. It sounded as if the person who was talking to him was going to take no nonsense. Inigo should have known better not to talk back. But he did anyway.
Still having his eyes closed, he replied, "I'd honestly rather not."
There was an awkward silence that lasted for a several long seconds. Inigo opened his eyes and felt as if someone poured cold water all over his back because he started to shiver.
It was Sir Frederick standing in front of him, fully suited in his armor, arms folded. He did not look amused.
"Ah!" Inigo said, jumping out of his cot and onto his feet as he quickly readied himself. "S-Sir Frederick! Fine morning, isn't it?"
Frederick stared at the boy sternly. "I'd be more concerned with your situation than the weather if I were you."
Inigo forced a fake grin. His teeth began to chatter. "Y-yes! Of course! I'll be sure to do that."
Frederick picked up a cloak from a nearby stool and tossed it towards Inigo. Inigo caught it between his shivering hands.
"We have a council meeting soon." Frederick said as he marched out the tent flaps. "Don't be late."
"Y-yes sir." Inigo said amidst his shivering.
Frederick exited the tent. Inigo could hear his armor clinking away and into someone else's tent to further repeat the grueling process of waking up early. Inigo let out an annoyed sigh as he wrapped the coat around himself. He sat at his bedside and began to put on his boots.
What a way to begin the morning... Inigo thought to himself.
Starting a morning early was one thing. But starting a cold, early morning AND being scolded by Sir Frederick was a completely different matter. To be completely honest, Sir Frederick terrified Inigo. The disarming smile, his non-nonsense attitude, his blunt humor... they all sent chills down Ingio's spine.
Inigo finished tying the last the knot on his boots and stood up. He briefly approached the mirror and looked at himself. He saw that his hair was a little on the flat side. Remembering Sir Frederick's words, Inigo did not dare to fix his hair with all the cosmetic products he had that stood neatly across in front of the mirror. Instead, he simply pulled a hood over his head and hid his messy hair. Looking at himself once more, he smiled.
"Still me." He said, grinning at himself. "The one, the only Ini-"
"If you're done getting ready, hurry up and get out. There's no time for self-introductory monologues."
Inigo felt as if someone slapped him in the face, the same feeling that came to him when someone caught him dancing. He looked at the tent flaps and peeked his hooded head through the entrance. Next to a barrel by the front, Inigo saw a masked figure standing ominously. His cape rode along the morning breeze.
"Come on, we don't have much time."
"Alright, alright." Inigo said, stepping out of his tent. The brisk, morning coolness felt like a punch to the stomach. Inigo looked over at the horizon and could see the tiny rays of sunlight barely creeping over the extending tree branches. Inigo walked toward the meeting hall.
"Do you ever take that mask off Gerome?" Inigo asked the masked man. Feeling the ever present coolness, Inigo wrapped himself in his cloak tightly.
Gerome, always masked, looked at him annoyed. His silver hair flayed along with the wind.
"Does it matter?"
Inigo groaned. "Forget I asked... Did someone send you to get me?"
Gerome nodded as he walked along briskly. Inigo noticed that Gerome had his lance harnessed to his back.
"Who?" Inigo asked.
"Sir Frederick." Gerome said, matter-of-factly.
Inigo felt the blood in his face drain away. Oh no...
As they approached the hall, Inigo saw someone standing outside the doors. She had long pink hair that was tied at her head. She was loosely garbed in black pants and a thin white shirt.
"Oh! Inigo! I was wondering when you were going to show up." She said cheerfully.
It was Olivia, Inigo's mother.
One of the best cooks in the army and a top-notch dancer, his mother was rather the inspiration. Inigo knew he could take some lessons from her someday.
"Good morning mom." Inigo said as he waved to his mother. "Isn't it a bit too cold to be wearing something so... revealing?"
Olivia's face turned bright red. "O-oh!... I didn't notice... Living in Regna Ferox, you get use to this kind of cold... Perhaps I should go change..."
Inigo waved his hands. "N-no, that's not what I meant! I was just worried that you might be cold, that's all!"
"Aw, how sweet of you~"
Inigo laughed nervously.
"The meeting's starting soon, Inigo." Olivia said, making her way through the wooden doors. "I'll see you inside."
Inigo nodded in reply as the door closed behind him. Gerome stood in front of him, gazing at the sky. Inigo walked towards him and tapped him on the shoulder. Gerome looked at him.
"Aren't you going to attend the meeting?" Inigo asked.
Gerome shook his head. "It's my turn to go hunting today for the camp. Have to make sure there's food enough for everyone."
Inigo raised his eyebrow. "By yourself?"
"No, Virion is helping me."
"Oh." Inigo said. "Y'know, you should still call your parents by what they are rather than their names..."
"I don't want to hear it."
Inigo shrugged his shoulders and sighed. "Just saying... Yo-"
The doors behind him slammed open and Inigo heard someone step out.
"Are you just going to stand there or come in Inigo?" A stern voice said, directing it towards him.
Inigo turned and saw Sir Frederick standing in the doorway.
"Meeting is going to start."
Inigo nodded. "I'll be there in a min-"
"NOW."
Feeling a chill run down his spine, Inigo obliged and nodded. He waddled his way towards the door and into the meeting hall. Frederick closed the doors behind him.
"I thought I made it clear to you not to be late. What were you do-"
Inigo raised his hand. "Sir, if I may."
"What is it?" Frederick asked gruffly.
"We have a meeting to attend." Inigo said. "You're gonna make us both late."
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"A new tactician?"
Chrom, arms folded in front of him, nodded his head. "Yes. I believe that the Shepherds are in need of a new tactician. In the light of... recent events..."
The atmosphere in the meeting hall grew sullen as everyone exchanged solemn glances with one another.
"I know that many of you are still aren't over what happened yesterday. I get that." Chrom said, rising from his seat. "But we need to accept that Robin did the right thing. And in order to make sure that Robin's decision wasn't in vain is to get rid of the scattered Grimleal. And the only way to do that is to acquire someone who commandeer this unit proficiently and efficiently."
Cordelia rose from her seat. "But where are we going to find someone that can do that? Robin was a genius, that was obvious. He knew the Shepherds well and he had his way with us that only we as the Shepherds could know of."
Vaike stood up from his seat. "I agree with Miss Genius over there. And you can take it from Ol' Teach himself. Robin knew the stuff he was doing. How will we know if this new tactician we are going to hire can manage that?"
A murmur rose among the seated Shepherds as they conversed amongst themselves.
"If you look at the battle records and victories," Laurent said, pulling several rolls of paper from his satchel. "You'll see that Robin has had the most highest success rate among all the tacticians that came before him. There wasn't a single mission Robin failed while he was in command of the Shepherds."
"No one can replace Robin..." Tharja muttered.
"... Damn right. No one can replace Robin..."
"... Yeah, he knew what he was doing..."
The Shepherds had the unanimous opinion that no tactician, no matter how brilliant, could match the prowess and skill of Robin. Chrom couldn't help but agree on the inside but he knew matters had to be taken into account. He closed his eyes and thought to himself. Frederick stood at his side.
"Is everything alright milord?" Frederick asked, crouching over.
Chrom nodded. He cleared his throat and looked at his Shepherds. They all became quiet.
"I understand where all of you are coming from and I completely agree with you. No one can replace Robin. That won't change... However, the fact that no one can replace Robin does not change the reality that the Grimleal are still wandering the fields of Ylisse. And I won't rest until they are all dealt with."
"That's true..." Stahl mused, running his hand through his olive-colored hair.
"Gregor thinks that Robin would want us to get new Tactician." Gregor quipped.
The murmur among the crowd rose again. Everyone looked at each other and discussed the matter with one another.
"What do you suggest doing Captain Chrom?" Say'ri asked, narrowing her eyes.
Frederick handed Chrom a map. Chrom laid it out on the meeting table. He pointed his finger at a certain location on the map.
"Our base camp is set up here right now." Chrom said, tapping his finger on the locale. "If we head up this trail and walk a few miles, we are bound for Southtown."
"Why there?" Say'ri asked.
"Southtown is famous for its pubs and inns." Chrom said. "Traveling sellswords and sometimes brilliant minds find rest here."
"Finding a tactician in a bar sounds like a slim chance to me..." Say'ri said. "Why not any from your capital?"
"Chrom doesn't like dealing with bureaucrats and all those snobby high heads in Ylisstol." Lissa said, jumping in. "Spend one day in the High Council and you'll understand why."
"So is it settled then?" Chrom said, looking at the Shepherds sitting before him. "We are going to Southtown to find ourselves a tactician."
Everyone exchanged glances with one another. A general murmur spread through them although no out rightly disagreed.
"Alright then. Southtown it i-"
"Why not Morgan?"
Everyone turned their eyes to look at the person who said those three words. All their eyes landed upon Inigo who still had his hood on.
"Morgan?" Chrom asked.
"Well, yeah." Inigo said, matter-of-factly. "She's cute, she's brilliant, she's a Shepherd, and, for crying out loud, she's Robin's daughter."
Everyone began to talk amongst themselves again.
"... Yeah, we have Morgan with us..."
"... Huh, I forgot that we do..."
"... Where is she anyway?..."
Inigo felt someone jabbing his side with their elbow. He looked at who it was and saw that it was Kjelle. She glared at him menacingly.
"We're in a council meeting you dolt." Kjelle whispered furiously. "Keep your extra comments to yourself."
"All I said was that Morgan was cute." Inigo replied.
"That's the point."
"Don't be jealous that you're not." Inigo shot back.
"Why you-"
"Hey!" Inigo looked up and saw it was Sully who yelled at them.
"Shut up." Sully said adamantly.
"Are you kids done talking?" Chrom asked, calling from his end of the table.
Inigo and Kjelle nodded.
"Inigo." Chrom asked.
"Y-yes?"
"Do you think it's a good idea to ask Morgan to become the Shepherds' Tactician? On such short notice, too. That girl has been through a lot, probably more than all of us here. She lost her father right before her eyes and now, if we ask her to fill in for Robin, how would that make her feel?"
"I-I..."
"I know you meant well when you said that." Chrom said, sitting back down in his seat. "But you have to be able to think the situation through before you make such turbulent decisions."
"Yes sir."
"That reminds me..." Chrom said to himself. "Where's Morgan?"
The Shepherds looked at themselves and shrugged. They didn't have a clue either.
"No matter, we'll have to find her later." Chrom said, rolling the map away.
"Who are we going to send to Southtown?" Gaius asked, his lollipop still in his mouth. Nowi rested on his shoulders but he seemed unbothered.
"I'm going." Chrom said. "If the face of the Shepherds is present, it'll make our endeavors quite easier."
"Won't we need someone that can test the tactician?" Miriel suggested. "We'll need someone who has the brainpower to deduce whether our newly hired tactician can fit their role."
"And clearly," Cherche stated, looking around at the Shepherds. "That kind of power is something we lack right now."
"... Who should we send?..."
"... You should go Lon'qu..."
"G-get your hands off of me woman!"
Suddenly, the meeting hall doors slammed open. Light flooded the hall. Everyone shielded their eyes from the sudden flooding of light. In the doorway, a lone figure stood, their silhouette like black ink on white parchment. Soon, the light's piercing shine diminished, returning everyone's sight back to normal.
The figure spoke.
"Why didn't anyone tell me there was a meeting today?" The person said, rubbing her eyes groggily and yawning. "I was in the barracks the entire time..."
It was Morgan.
When she opened her eyes, she found that everyone was staring at her.
"What's going on?"
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(A/N): Aaaand, another chapter is over. While I was writing this, I had so much interruptions... (I.E: High School drama, family issues, hunger pangs, etc.) So, this chapter may seem lacking. I'd like to apologize. But anyway, hopefully, you enjoyed it! PM me if you have any questions or whatnot! Thanks for reading!
Until Next Time,
~SAYONARA~